Our Author's laft propofal is, that the Apothecaries fhould be paid not only for their medicines, but for their judgment,'-This in our humble opinion is a modeft way of demanding fees.

But what is to become of the regular Phyficians?-They are to live, we fuppofe as well as they can, on knowlege and a fpare diet.Be comforted however ye fons of Efculapius, and for once take the advice of the Reviewers :-as the Apothecaries are to all intents and purposes commencing Phyficians, do you Phyficians commence Apothecaries; and as in the days of old, not only prefcribe but difpenfe.

To be ferious, we much fear that "the fcheme here laid down, would be productive of much worfe evils to fociety, than the prefent very defective mode of practice.-There is one way in which these matters might be fettled with mutual advantage to the ftate and to individuals;--let the fees of the Phyfician be properly regulated, and let the Apothecary be confined to his fhop.

Ne futor ultra crepidam.

D.:

Art. 41. Experiments on the Spa at Mount Sion, near Liverpool; with a View to afcertain its Contents, and to investigate its Medicinal Properties. By James Worthington, Surgeon. 8vo. Johnfon. 1773.

I S.

This is a pompous, verbofe little pamphlet, on a very plain fubjest.

The Liverpool Spa appears to be a common, tame chalybeate, containing little or none of that fpirit which diftinguishes the Pyrmont, and fome other of the German chalybeates: for it does not Sparkle in the glafs, neither, according to Mr. Worthington's experiments, does its volatile part occafion any precipitation from lime

water.

D.

Art. 42. Effay on the Liverpool Spa-Water. By Thomas Houl

1773.

fton, M. D. 8vo. I s. Hawes, and Co. Another pamphlet on the Liverpool Spa! Surely the Mount Sion of Liverpool has been in labour, and has proved almoft as prolific as the mountain in the fable.

The first part of this publication is on mineral waters in general, and is chiefly taken from Rutty's Synopfis.

Dr. Houlton then comes to the Liverpool Spa, and employs a great part of what follows, to afcertain that fixed air is the volatile folvent in this water. And yet it is very clear, from both these pamphlets, that the Liverpool Spa contains little or no fixed air.

Diffolve common green vitriol in water, and expofe the filtred folution to the air, a decompofition foon takes place, and an ochre is precipitated. Is the part thus volatilifed fixed air, or the vitriolic acid? Moft undoubtedly the latter.-The cafe is this, the vitriolic acid, which in its natural state is very fixed, is, when combined with Iron, eafily volatilised.

It is well known that iron is foluble in fixed air; and this is evidently the folvent in many of the German chalybeates. But it is clear, from the experiments in both thefe pamphlets, that the impregnation of the Liverpool Spa, is iron dissolved in the vitriolic acid.

To this Effay is added an Appendix, on the accidental ufe of Lead. Here Dr. Houlfton points out a variety of fources from which this poifon may be derived, and inadvertently conveyed into the body. He likewife mentions fome inftances of its being deftructive to brute

animals :

animals and fays, its external ufe alone has fometimes been attended with pernicious effects. A piece of fheet lead worn upon an issue, a plaifter of which lead is the principal ingredient, a poultice, or au injection of a folution of lead, have, in certain irritable habits, produced effects fimilar to thofe confequent on the internal ufe of it. Even dufting the excoriated parts of children with white-lead, have been known to caufe convulfions,'

But the whole of this fubject has been very fully and learnedly difcuffed by Dr. Baker, in the Medical Tranfactions*. D. Art. 43. Medical Confultations on various Difeafes. Published from the Letters of Thomas Thompfon, M. D. Phyfician to his late Royal Highness Frederic Prince of Wales. 8vo. 5 s. bound. Hawes, &c. 1773.

We obferve in thefe Confultations, a confiderable degree of accuracy in distinguishing and afcertaining difeafes; and the method of cure is in general fimple and efficacious.

That our Readers, however, may judge for themfelves, we fhall lay before them the first confultation in the book.

CASE I. Of a Vomiting.

Sir, I received your letter yefterday, refpecting the lady who is troubled with a vomiting. The circunftances, of which you accurately inform me, are, that he is about thirty-fix years of age, and, before the diforder feized her, was of a plump habit of body, though now fhe is greatly fallen off: that this complaint first attacked her fome months ago, at the time when he was a nurfe, and that the vomits almost all the food fhe takes, within two or three minutes after eating.

As it appears that the formerly enjoyed a good state of health, but has always been fomewhat delicate in her conftitution, I am inclined to afcribe her prefent complaint, not to any fixed disorder in her stomach, but merely to a weakness, occafioned probably by fuckling, which is often the caufe of various diforders in delicate women; and from this confideration I would entertain great hopes of her recovery.

I am not in the leaft furprised that the is fenfible of no benefit from spear mint water, in the ufe of which, it feems, fhe has fo long perfevered. That water, as far as I have obferved, contains only a fedative, not a ftrengthening quality; and where it failed of remov ing an irritation in the ftomach, on being taken once or twice, I have feldom or never known a continuance in the ufe of it attended with any fuccefs.

What I have always found to produce the beft effects in complaints arifing from a debility of the ftomach, next to the waters of Bath, and Aix-la-Chappel, are, the Peruvian bark, and fteel medicines, united with fome of the moft grateful bitters. To you I fhould think it wholly unneceffary to mention any particular prefcription; but being confident of the laudable attention you pay to medical facts, I fhall embrace this opportunity of fpecifying a compofition, which I have feveral times found effectual in curing fuch complaints. is as follows:

R. Cort. Peruvian. craffe pulver. aurantior. ana uncias duas, vin. Lisbonenf. lib duas; infunde per quatuor vel fex dies, collaturæ adde, vin. chalybeat. uncias quatuor.

See alfo Review, vols. xxxviii and xxxix. Confult the Indexes.

t

• I commonly advised the patient to begin with one fpoonful of this tincture, twice or thrice a day, and increafe the dofe gradually to two or three spoonfuls, as it is found that the ftomach can bear it. This medicine generally performs a cure in the fpace of fix weeks, or two months; but moderate exercife, the best of which is certainly riding on horfeback, ought always to be ufed along with it. I need not mention the concomitant injunctions, of ufing aliments of the lightest kind, and of taking them in fmall quantity at a time, until the ftomach has recovered its ftrength; nor yet of preferving, as much as poffible, tranquillity of mind, than which nothing is more requifite in the cure of ftomachic complaints.

I fhall be glad to know the fuccefs of our endeavours, and am, &c.

From the time that the lady began to ufe the above-mentioned tincture, the complaint in her ftomach gradually abated, and in the fpace of two months were entirely removed.'

N. B. There are fome typographical and other errors, which the Editor fhould have taken care to correct.

BOTANY.

D.

Art. 44. The Univerfal Botanist and Nurseryman, &c. By Richard Weston, Efq. Vol. III. Svo. 5 s. 3 d. Boards. Bell, &c. 1773.

See Review, vol. xliv. p. 130, and vol. xlv. p. 237. In this volume of Mr. Wefton's valuable work, the herbs, flowers, and bul-bous roots are continued.

POETICAL.

Art. 45. The British Spouter; or, Stage Affiftant: Containing the most celebrated Prologues and Epilogues, that have been lately fpoken in the different Theatres, &c. 12mo. 1 s. 6d. Rofon, &c. 1773.

The Editor profeffes that his defign, in giving this collection of -head and tail-pieces to our modern plays, is to make young perfons acquainted with the art of Speaking. This may, poffibly, in fome measure, be allowed; but when he adds that these prologues, &c. will imprefs upon the minds of the faid young perfons fentiments. of morality, fome grave Readers will be apt to shake their heads, and ask him if he particularly refers to the prologue to She Stoops to Conquer, or to the epilogue fpoken in the character of Dr. Squintum ? Art. 46. The Afylum; a Poem. By a GENTLEMAN. 4to. 25.

Davies. 1773..

GENTLEMAN, and POET, are not fynonimous terms.

SERMONS.

I. The Nature and Extent of Industry.-Preached before his Grace, Frederick, Archbishop of Canterbury, the 4th of July 1773, in the Parish Church of Shiplake, in Oxfordihire. By James Granger, Vicar. 8vo. 6d. Davies.

This Author lately difcovered his humanity and good sense, and, we may add, his piety, in pleading the caufe of brute animals, in oppofition to thofe viler brutes who act as if they thought they had

See Review, vol. xlvii. p. 490.

an

an unquestionable right to treat them with feverity and cruelty. He now appears in behalf of a virtue which is certainly of high importance and neceffity to the well being of fociety, and to the comfort of individuals would the votaries of indolence or of pleasure, who form fo confiderable a part of mankind, be perfuaded to read his performance, it might, perhaps, prevail with them to think of living to fome valuable purpose.

:

As Mr. Granger prefixed a kind of humorous, though not improper, dedication to his former fermon, he preferves fomewhat of the fame method in the prefent, which is introduced by the following addrefs: To the inhabitants of the parish of Shiplake, who neglect the Jervice of the church, and spend the Sabbath in the worst kind of Idlenefs, this plain fermon, which they never heard, and probably will never read, is inferibed, by their fincere well wisher, and faithful minifter. Sc. The fermon is plain, fenfible, and very well adapted to recommend and inforce the virtue propofed. A fhort extract, from that part of the difcourfe which confiders the importance of industry, may give our Readers fome view of his manner:

It was a principle of induftry, obferves our Preacher, as well as benevolence, that originally brought mankind into communities, and prompted them to regulate and fecure themselves by laws. To this we owe the origin of thofe occupations and callings which are necef fary to the fupport, ornament, and defence of the commonwealth. We may confider induftry as the bond of all political union; as without it must follow a total diffolution of all order and government. It is to this we owe the improvement of thofe talents in which the perfection of human nature confits; as it quickens our apprehenfion, ftrengthens our reafon, and ripens our judgment. Hence arifes that harmony which we fee in well governed ftates, and all the advantages in morals, arts, and learning, which we have over uncivilized and barbarous nations. Nothing but want, diforder, and confusion, would reign in the world without it: infecurity of property, rapine, and violence, muft neceffarily enfue from the neglect of it; and mankind, like brutes, would prey on and deftroy one another. We may regard a flate or commonwealth, as one great, machine, and all the ufeful members of it as the feveral fprings from which it derives its motion; fome having greater and others lefs operations; but all must act together in order to the uniform and juft movement of the whole; and the least of thefe fprings may, in its proper office, be as ufeful as the greateft. In a well ordered government, the feveral degrees and fubordinations of men one to another, are effential to the regulation of the whole fyftem. The husbandman, the builder, the artizan, and the fcholar, are all neceffary in their different employments, and are under an obligation to promote the general good, by being induftrious in their various occupations."

We fhall only obferve, that while Mr, Granger recommends induftry from the pulpit, he has, in one inftance at leaft, manifefted his own regard to it, we mean by his Biographical Hiftory of England, which was published in 1769; a fecond edition of which, we are told, will foon make its appearance. See an account of this work in our Review, vol. xli. p. 206.

Hi.

II. A

II. A dreadful Phenomenon defcribed and improved: Being a particular Account of the fudden Stoppage of the River Severn, and of the terrible Defolation that happened at the Birches, between Coalbrook Dale and Buildwas-Bridge, in Shropshire, May 25, 1773. And the Subftance of a Sermon preached the next Day, on the Ruins, to a vaft Concourse of Spectators. By John Fletcher, Vicar of Madely in Shropshire, and Chaplain to the Earl of Buchan. 12mo. 1 s. Buckland, &c.

Mr. Fletcher, who is a man of learning, and confiderable abilities, has given us a curious account of this phenomenon, which hath been fo frequently mentioned in our news-papers. He has minutely, but in very flowery language, defcribed the awful appearances left by this extraordinary convulfion of the earth. on the spot where the rupture happened; and he fairly ftates the different opinions which were formed, in regard to the caufe of fo wonderful an event, by those who, as well as himfelf, went to vifit the place. One party, he tells us, have supposed that the defolation they beheld was occafioned by a flip of the ground towards the Severn, which had undermined its banks; while others impute it to an earthquake. The arguments urged in fupport of each of thefe opinions, are here particularly recited; but Mr. Fletcher tells us that, for his own part, being led, both by his employment and tafte, rather to fearch out the mysteries of heaven, than to fcrutinize the phenomena of the earth, and to point more toward the wonders of Grace than those of Nature; he piously chose to take advantage of the feriousness ftamped by this alarming occurrence on the minds of the country people, in order to prefs upon them a proper fenfe of the first or moral cause of fo tremendous a difpenfation. And this he has done, in a manner as rational as could well be expected, from the peculiarity of the occafion, and the known enthusiastic spirit of the Preacher.

CORRESPONDENCE.

is as far from the inclinations, as from the province, of the

between the parochial clergy and their flocks, or any other contending parties. Unluckily, however, in the courfe of our proper duty, we ventured to hazard a hint on the delicate fubject of Compofition for Tithes; and we ftill think that tithes ought to be abolished, in favour of fome more fettled maintenance, were there no other objection to them than that cogent one of their being an endlefs fource of ill blood between the temporal and fpiritual husbandmen.

In our Review for September, we acknowledged the receipt of a *judicious letter on this fubject, under the fignature of Norfolcienfis . Whatever that gentleman thought of our obfervations on his epiftle, they have not, it feems, proved fatisfactory to another Correfpondent, who has honoured us with fome animadverfions on the subject; which, however, though very candidly urged, are not altogether fatisfactory to us.

This Gentlenian, as well as Norfolcienfis, gives up the fcheme of an allotment of land in lieu of tithes, as impracticable; and starts

This was effected with regard to the London clergy, by the stat. 22 & 2 Car. II. c. 15. ↑ See p. 236.

Who figns himself Wiltonienfis.

one